PTI
Beijing, Jun 6: It was an emotional moment for 97-year-old Ji Xianlin when visiting Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee handed over the coveted Padma Bhushan award to him at the People's Liberation Army Hospital in Beijing.
Popularly known as 'Sanskrit Guru', Ji's claim to fame is that he has translated the entire Ramayana into Chinese. Ji has also translated several other classics like Shakuntalam and Panchatantra. The Ji collection consists of 24 volumes, including articles on ancient Indian languages.
Born in 1911 in Linquing County in eastern China, Professor Ji also worked as a life professor at the prestigious Peking University. He played an instrumental role in promoting India in the hearts and minds of the people of China.
China today has a better understanding of India's cultural heritage and her contribution to Chinese culture and spiritual life.